The Wonderful Wizard of Oz on Internet Archives

A PDF copy of the 1900 edition of The Wizard of Oz is available for download from the Internet Archive. This contains some beautiful color illustrations and unless you already own a copy it's the next best thing.

Setting up the Pro-Ject Debut III Turntable: Planet of Sound

Here's a handy tutorial on how to set up Pro-Ject's entry level Debut III turntable. I'm going to be in the market for a turntable and I'm familiarizing myself with the different makes and models available. It appears this is the direct competition for the Rega Planar One. One good point I've read so far is Pro-Ject has been manufacturing inexpensive turntable like this for years, where Rega is just getting in the market. They both come with the same cartridge (Ortofon OM 5E) but the Pro-Ject has a steel platter instead of MDF. It appears the Debut III is as dead simple to set-up as the Planar One.

Rega Planar One

The Rega Planar One is Rega's latest entry into the turntable market. Now anyone with a job can own one of the best turntables on the market for under $400.00. The best thing is it comes with the cartridge already mounted, so, in the words of Stereophile magazine, you "remove it from its box, plug it in, snap the hinged dustcover in place, put the platter and mat on the subplatter, place the counterweight on the tonearm, rotate the counterweight toward the bearing until it can move no farther, slide the antiskating control toward the notch labeled "2," and play records."

No installation or balancing necessary. Magic!

One Got Fat: 1963 Bicycle Safety Film

From Wikipedia: In the film, ten friends whom are children with monkey masks and tails, plan on going to the park for a picnic. They all ride there on their bikes, but each one meets a certain fate on their way to the park, because they did not follow a certain bike rule, like not making hand signals, forgetting to read signs, not riding with traffic, riding double, or riding on the sidewalk, one by one each of the friends makes a mistake and suffers an interesting fate.

You can also download this from the Internet Archive.

Monty Python - The Fish Slapping Dance

Presented for your enjoyment.

The Minutemen from The Watchmen Movie

From Newsarama comes this photo of the Minutemen from the upcoming Watchmen movie.

March 6 cannot come fast enough.

Folding Bicycles

I'm considering buying a folding bike for several reasons: it can easily integrate (hopefully) into the existing public transit system, I can store it in my cubicle at work, and it will eat up a lot less floor space in my apartment than my current mountain bike.

The Toronto Transit Commission are a little vague on the rules for taking these onto the subway and buses; they say no bikes during rush hour, but if this is folded up will it be a problem?

There's a few shops around Toronto that sell these; to date I've seen listings from Broadway Cycle, Cyclepath and Urbane Cyclist. I've seen a few around town and those riding them look comfortable on them. Maybe I'll start visiting some shops on the weekend and see what these are like.

Update: I didn't get a chance to visit any stored this weekend, but I did see quite a few on the streets of Toronto. Is this a new trend for urban cycling?

Klaus Nomi - Lightning Strikes

From Wikipedia:

Klaus Sperber (January 24, 1944 - August 6, 1983), better known as Klaus Nomi, was a German countertenor noted for remarkable vocal performances and an unusual, otherworldly, elfin stage persona. Nomi is remembered for bizarrely theatrical live performances, heavy make-up, unusual costumes, and a highly stylized signature hairdo which flaunted a receding hairline. His songs were equally unusual, ranging from synthesizer-laden interpretations of classic opera to covers of 1960s pop standards like Chubby Checker's "The Twist" and Lou Christie's "Lightnin' Strikes".

You're either going to love or hate this video. I'm in the former. It's otherworldly and different and that's what music is to me.

Crazy Fun Pizza La Toppings Ad

I love this.

GEM Dandy Hydraulic Record Cleaning Apparatus

From the Stephen Mejias Blog at Stereophile comes the GEM Dandy Hydraulic Record Cleaning Apparatus. Looking like someones abandoned PVC pipe project this is apparently one of the best record cleaners on the market. Anyone who's been scared off by the high price of audiophile record cleaners will note these sell for a paltry 149 USD (!!!). Compared to what most of us spend on vinyl this isn't much money, and anyone serious about good sound from their system will want as little debris between the record grooves and the stylus. Anyone who's listened to a cleaned record will tell you how quiet a record can be, and how much detail you're missing. This one's definitely on the radar.